


Absence

by DominicKnight



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: Cancer, Cancer Arc, F/M, Mentions of Cancer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-15
Updated: 2017-09-03
Packaged: 2017-12-29 11:50:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 18,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1005086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DominicKnight/pseuds/DominicKnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mackenzie has been hiding it from the staff, especially Jim, about the reason for Maggie's long absence from the newsroom.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Egg-Drop Soup

**Author's Note:**

> Another prompt from thenewsroomprompts. Submit prompts on tumblr and maybe I'll get them passed to me!

They had gathered in the conference room for their usual rundown meeting. Mackenzie had her whiteboard up so they could get the stories down for the night after her and Will’s approval. Everyone had settled in their chairs, with Will lounged at the head of the table.

“Kendra and Tess, I need you to divvy up the stories Maggie was working on,” Mackenzie said, glancing to them both as all eyes turned to her. 

Jim perked up at the mention of Maggie. Everyone had noticed she’d been absent lately, and no one had heard from her. “What’s Maggie assigned to?” 

As if not hearing Jim, Mackenzie pressed on. “All right, now, what stories have you got for us?”

He sat through the meeting, half-heartedly listening to the pitches around the table, but his mind was on Maggie. It wasn’t like her to miss so much work; she loved it just as much as anyone. Jim kept his gaze on the table before he heard the meeting was dismissed.

Mackenzie was striding across the newsroom towards her office, chatting with Will. They were discussing possible dinner plans after the show.

Jim rose and weaved his way around the desks to get to his boss. “Hey, Mac?” 

She and Will stopped just outside her office. “Jim?”

“Could I ask you something in private?” He glanced between the couple before his eyes returned to his longtime boss and friend. 

Mackenzie looked to Will. “We’ll finish this later.” She turned and headed for her office with Jim hot on her heels. 

Jim closed the door and stood behind a chair, too anxious to sit. 

“It’s not often we have closed door conversations. What’s wrong, Jim?” Mackenzie sat at her desk, hands gently clasped on the wood top. 

He was quiet for a moment, watching Mac. “Is everything okay with Maggie?” 

Mac settled back in her chair as if preparing for a long conversation. “I’m not at liberty to say. As her boss, Maggie’s absence is private.” 

It was the most diplomatic answer Jim had ever heard. He studied her for a moment, hoping she would have some kind of tell. Jim sighed, and rested his hands on the back of a chair, looking down at the blue carpet.

“I won’t quote Herrick at you again, but I think if you want to know, you should talk to her.” Mackenzie stared at him for a moment, arms still crossed. 

Jim straightened, nodding slight as he and Mac shared a look. 

* * *

Jim stood outside the apartment, staring at the door. An earlier call to Lisa informed him that Maggie was home alone tonight. He had pressed her for information, but Lisa resisted and easily avoided his query. Hesitant, he finally summoned his courage to knock twice. After a minute, and hearing some noise from within, the door finally opened.

“Jim? W-What’re you doing here?” Maggie’s eyes were red and her cheeks were streaked. She wiped at her eyes as if to hide the evidence.

“Um… You haven’t been at work. I brought you some soup,” Jim said, holding up a container. “You like egg-drop, right?” He watched her wipe at her eyes again, noting that the sleeves on her gray sweater were damp from recent use. “… Could I come in?” Jim expected her to say no, and was prepared to express further concern, or relinquish the soup. At the moment though, he hadn’t decided what to do. 

“S—“ Maggie cleared her throat after her first attempt to answer didn’t come out. “S-Sure.” She held open the door and Jim stepped in to the kitchen. 

He watched as Maggie shuffled around the kitchen to get down two mugs and some spoons. Jim approached. “You sit down, I can do it,” he offered. 

She didn’t glance up, sniffled and nodded slightly as she wiped at her eyes with her damp sleeves. Maggie wandered out of the kitchen and to the living room, where she sat heavily on the couch. 

Jim divided the soup, giving Maggie the most and himself a little bit; whatever remained he stored in the fridge and carried the mugs over. “Here.” He held the mug out, and she accepted it with both hands. 

“Thanks.” Her voice was barely above a whisper as she stared at the broth but made no move to drink it. 

They sat in near silence except for the ticking of a wall clock.

“…Maggie… is everything alright?” Jim spoke softly, looking at her before down in his mug of soup. 

“I wish it were.”

He looked up as she said it so simply. “… Is… Can I do anything?” Jim wondered if it had to do with her family. Was it a sibling? Or her parents? Did she need to fly somewhere?

Maggie’s eyes had welled again and she wiped at them, but that didn’t stop a few tears from falling. She inhaled deeply and seemed to hold her breath for a moment. “I have cancer, Jim.”


	2. Lunch Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has certainly received a lot of attention really quick. So I wanted to get you all the second chapter. Enjoy!

_Three Weeks Ago_

Mac settled into her office for her usual lunch of newspaper clippings, reports, and tea. Their morning staff meeting finished, and everyone was research gathering and preparing segments for tonight; unless of course breaking news happened. She easily got lost in her reading, highlighting bits they could use, or pieces she found interesting. A knock on her door didn’t even break her concentration. “Come in.”

Someone opened her door and stepped in. “Um, Mac?”

The executive producer recognized the voice as Maggie. She glanced up at the young associate producer. If memory served her correctly, Maggie was out yesterday. “Yes, Maggie?” Mac resumed looking down at her newspaper, her glasses perched on the end of her nose. 

Maggie was quiet, staring at her boss. “Um… I need to…” She trailed off and cleared her throat. “I need to take a few weeks off.”

Mac glanced up and stared at the staffer. It was unusual for someone to request some time off, especially someone with such passion as Maggie Jordan. She noticed the young woman’s disheveled clothes and the slightly swollen eyes as if she’d been crying recently. “Take a seat.”

The young staffer seemed hesitant at first before sliding into a chair opposite Mac. “I-It…” Maggie’s voice caught and she paused to clear her throat to hide. “It should only be a couple of weeks. B-But it might be longer.”

“Maggie… You can be honest with me. I promise whatever you say won’t leave this office.” Mac looked at the associate producer, hoping that telling someone whatever was bothering her would perhaps ease some of the tension Mac could see in her shoulders.

Maggie nodded slightly, her eyes focusing on Mac’s name plate on her desk for a moment. “Yesterday, I-I had a doctor’s appointment, which was why I wasn’t here.”

Mac nodded slightly, taking off her glasses. She remembered when Maggie had asked for the day off originally.

“I-I need to see some s-specialists.” Her voice quivered as she trialed. 

The young woman looked like she was about to burst into tears any moment. Mac watched her carefully.

Maggie cleared her throat. “T-The doctor said I have leukemia.” Her words hung in the silence between them as tears slipped down her cheeks. 

Mac sat for a moment, staring at the young woman before her. She rose and moved around her desk before she managed to kneel carefully on the floor in her pencil skirt and took Maggie’s hands in her own.

The associate producer started to break down, her health problems clearly weighing heavily on her shoulders. 

“Your secret is safe with me. We’ll make the proper arrangements, and I promise your job will still be here when you feel you can come back.” Mac looked at Maggie sincerely. She knew the young woman before her had a passion for the news and was just as smart as anyone on the staff. 

Maggie nodded, pulling one hand away from Mac to sob into it. Her boss shifted and she felt herself pulled into a hug. They stayed like that for several moments until Maggie cleared her throat and seemed to move away. “I-I’m sorry. I-I didn’t want to break down,” she said, her voice quiet.

“Hey, look at me.” Mac shifted so that she and Maggie could look at each other. Once the girl finally did, she smiled. “If you ever need anything, call me. Even if it’s just a shoulder to cry on or someone to talk to, okay?” 

“Okay…” Maggie nodded to Mac and tried to pull herself together. “Please… don’t tell Jim.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Maggie.” Mac squeezed her hand and they embraced again. She watched the associate producer leave a minute later and slip out of the newsroom mostly unnoticed. After finally getting up, Mac sank back into her desk chair and stared at the seat Maggie previously occupied.

Will stuck his head in her office. “Mac?” She didn’t seem to hear him, so he cleared his throat and tried again, more firm this time. “Mac.”

Mackenzie looked up, finally broken from her trance. “What, Billy?”

“You usually come by my office by now and tell me we were too long on a segment after you’ve done the math on your fingers,” Will said, stepping in. He noticed her eyes return to the chair. 

“Sorry. Something came up,” Mac said, staring at the chair a moment longer before she tried to gather her thoughts and focus on her anchor. “We weren’t long on anything. Did you come in here for some other reason?” She put her glasses on, her eyes briefly flitting up to him before back to the papers on her desk top. 

Will closed the glass door and stood before her desk. “You look like someone spilled your tea.”

Mac shook her head. “Just trying to enjoy my lunch time.” 

He crossed his arms. “Mac.” That got her to look at him. “What’s wrong?”

She seemed to hesitate and then shook her head. This was not her story to tell, just something she had to keep close to her heart. “Maggie is taking a few weeks off, that’s all.” 

Will stared at her, waiting for more information. “Is everything, okay?”

“Fine.” Mac cleared her throat and started to gather the news clippings. She didn’t want her emotions to betray her, but if anyone was going to know something was actually wrong, it would be Will McAvoy.

“Is Maggie, okay?” He knew he struck a nerve when Mac glanced at him with wet eyes.


	3. More of a Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 is finally here! I'm trying to get more planning done for future chapters so hopefully updates will be more consistent!

Jim stared. “What do you mean?”

“Cancer, Jim. I have cancer.” Maggie looked back at him. 

“But I mean… How?” He knew what cancer was. His aunt had survived some kind of cancer. But Maggie? Cancer? The likelihood of that seemed farfetched, but here she was, telling him she had cancer. 

Maggie was quiet for a moment, choosing her words carefully. “Remember a month ago when Mac sent me home early cause I had flu symptoms? I went to go see a doctor because I had a lot of pain in my back too… Well, she was checking me out and found my lymph nodes to be swollen and ran some tests once she biopsied some fluid.” She trailed off, her eyes focused on the floor.

Jim was quiet, his shoulders slumped. “…Why didn’t you tell me?” He looked up at her.

Her eyes welled again and she wiped at her tears. “You have enough going on in your life as it is.”

He reached over and took the soup mug from her hands and put it on the coffee table with his own. “Maggie… What can I do?” Jim shifted so he was facing her as they sat together on the couch.

She shook her head and smiled through her unshed tears. “T-Thank you for the soup… But you should focus on the news.”

Jim didn’t like that suggestion and shook his head. “Maybe I can help you with the pamphlets. My aunt had cancer—“

“It’s okay, Jim.” Maggie looked at him. “I’m sorting through it all and making decisions as they come.” She patted his shoulder. 

“Maggie, let me do something,” he insisted. Jim stared at her, just hoping she would relent. Cancer was not something she should go through alone, and as her friend and boss, he felt compelled to be there for her. 

Her cheeks were damp, her eyes puffy and pink, but Maggie otherwise just returned Jim’s look. “Thank you for the soup, Jim. I’ll be back in the newsroom soon.”

“Maggie—“ he started again.

“Jim.” They stared at each other. “I’ll be okay.”

He nodded and rose from the couch to move towards the door and Maggie followed. 

Jim crossed the threshold into the hallway of the apartment building and turned to look back at his associate producer. “I hope to see you soon, Maggie.”

“Good night, Jim.”

He stood for a moment as she closed the door and he heard the deadbolt _click_ into place. Jim shoved his hands in his pockets and headed for the exit. Thanks to a taxi he was home within twenty minutes. The senior producer stared up at his building while the taxi pulled away. Usually he would have gone straight in and up, but tonight was not a normal night. Jim sank down onto the bottom step, Maggie’s words repeating in his head.

* * *

Maggie sank back on the couch, staring at the collection of pamphlets Jim had set their mugs on. She knew he was being sincere in his offer, but Maggie didn’t want to accept. The last thing she wanted was for him to help take care of her, watch her deteriorate, invest his time and effort, and then be heartbroken when she succumbed to her cancer once all of the treatments failed. All she wanted was for Jim to go on with his life. 

As much crying as she had done in the last few weeks, Maggie was surprised she had any tears left. She took her mug off the table and sipped at the soup, once the broth hit her tongue, she felt it had cooled significantly. Normally she would have reheated it, but she didn’t care at this point. Once Maggie downed the rest of the served soup, she gathered the two mugs and washed them out. She figured she’d do the dishes later and left the mugs in the sink. 

Giving the clock a quick glance, Maggie scooped up the pamphlets and headed for her bed. She dumped them on her nightstand and climbed under her purple comforter. Her doctor had written her a prescription for a sleep aid, the bottle still full on her nightstand. Maggie debated taking one tonight to help her sleep, but decided against it and stared at the red numbers of her clock. 

At some point her alarm went off and Maggie reached over to turn it off. The sun streamed through the crack in her curtains. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Maggie had promised to Skype her parents to talk like they usually did, and tell them _everything_ , which made her shiver at the thought. 

They would probably start a prayer chain; spread the word to family, friends, and everyone at their church for her healing. Her father would insist on flying out to New York, and her mom would come and dote on her. That’s not what Maggie wanted. The last thing she wanted was to feel like she was suffocating in her own home. 

Maggie picked up her laptop and started it up. She was logged on to Skype and idly surfed AP and Al Jazeera while she waited for their scheduled Skype chat. Her parent’s account finally signed online and in a few minutes they gave her a call. She clicked answer and waiting a moment as everything loaded. 

A deep older male voice came over her laptop speakers first. “Maggie?” 

The young woman smiled. “Hey, mom. Hi, dad.” They waved at each other once everyone was smiling on screen.

“How are you doing, sweetie?” It was her mom that spoke this time.

“Great! Everything’s great.” She knew if she hesitated, her mom would know something was up. Maggie would tell them eventually, once there was more of a story to tell.


	4. It Begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a week since the last chapter and I finally had time to get this one on a page. Enjoy!

_Three Weeks Earlier_

Will nodded slightly when he saw Mac immediately look away and wipe at her eyes. “What’s wrong?” He had moved around his fiancé’s desk and put a hand on her shoulder. 

“No, it’s not my story to tell,” Mac said, shaking her head. She took a few deep breaths, letting each one out slowly. Mac tried to brush his hand off but he persisted by turning her chin to face him.

They stared into each other’s eyes. “Mac. Is Maggie, okay?” Will cared for his staff, even if sometimes he got a little overbearing. The anchor wouldn’t admit aloud that Maggie had managed to capture a special place in his heart. When everyone else had chosen to move with Don and Elliot, she had stayed. He appreciated her loyalty, intelligence and perseverance in her work. Will imagined that if he had a daughter, she’d be exactly like Maggie.

Mac hesitated for a moment and then sighed. “This stays between us… But she was diagnosed with leukemia.”

Will blinked and stared at Mac. “How severe?”

Mac shook her head. “I don’t know. But...” She trailed off, sighed and rubbed her face. “I don’t want her to go through this alone, Billy.”

He looked at his fiancé. “She won’t.” He ran his hands up and down her arms. “What does she need right now?” 

“I’m not sure. But she can call me whenever she needs. And just… I don’t know what to do, Billy.” Mac had been in tough situations before, but not quite with her staff who she had come to know and love.

* * *

Maggie flushed the toilet, coughing and wiping at her mouth. She reclined against the wall of the bathtub for a brief reprieve. As much as she wanted to make it back to the couch, Maggie couldn’t summon the energy at the moment. The front door opened, and she thought she heard a voice calling for her. Clearing her throat, she called out. “In here.”

Mac came through the front door. “Maggie?” She dropped off a few items on the counter and then put her purse, laptop bag and jacket on the table. The EP glanced around when she didn’t hear a response and didn’t see Maggie on the couch. Leaving the kitchen she heard a faint response and wandered to find the bathroom.

“Hey, Mac,” Maggie said, looking up at her boss when the older woman entered the small bathroom. 

Mac knelt before the associate producer and felt her forehead and put a gentle hand on her cheek. “How’re you feeling today?”

Maggie shrugged. “Like I could run a marathon,” she said, giving Mac a brief smile before shaking her head. She rubbed her face and sighed.

“Let’s get you to the couch, yeah?” Mac watched for a nod and once she got it, helped ease Maggie to her feet. They went at her pace through the apartment and to the couch. Once the younger woman was settled, Mac tucked her in. “How do you feel about eating?” 

“I can try… But so far, nothing sticks.” It had been two weeks since she told Jim, and close to six weeks since she first told Mac. Maggie shivered, burrowing slightly into the corner of the couch with her comforter.

“Well, I brought soup because really, I shouldn’t make any. I don’t want to catch your apartment on fire,” Mac said, hoping to lighten the mood slightly. She’d taken it upon herself to check on Maggie in the morning and then again after the show when Lisa was out. Even though her treatment had only just started last week, Mac could tell it was taking a toll on Maggie already. “The office sent me with something.” Mac dug into her bag across the couch from Maggie and handed her a sealed envelope. 

Maggie accepted it and carefully slid her finger under the flap, managing to get it open. She took out the card and started to read it, finding it signed by the entire office with well-wishes and hopes to see her soon. The associate producer smiled, glancing at her boss. “Pass along my thanks.” Wiping away a few tears that had started to fall, she sighed. 

Mac was about to respond to Maggie when she heard a knock at the door. She frowned and got up, answering it, only to find Will on the other side. “Billy?” Mackenzie stared at her fiancé, confused about why he was there, but then smiled seeing the small collection of flowers. Stepping back, she let him in.

Maggie blinked seeing her boss’ boss arrive. “Will. U-Um, what brings you—“ She attempted to get up, not wanting to be a rude host.

“No need to get up. I just wanted to come by and give you these. And see how you were doing,” Will said, looking at Maggie. He let Mac snag the flowers from him to put them in a vase. 

“You didn’t have to,” Maggie said, sitting back on the couch. “Once things settle down, I’ll be back in no time.” She wanted to sound reassuring, but she knew the slight quiver at the end of her voice gave her away. 

“Well, I wanted to reassure you there’s no need.” Will approached, stopping himself at the end of the coffee table.   
Maggie stared at him, clearly confused. “What do you mean?”

“You were loyal to me when Don and everyone jumped ship. And I appreciate that loyalty, even if I didn’t originally remember your name. You stayed, and that garnered a lot of respect from me.” Will kept his focus on her in a way he did with anyone when he was speaking from the heart and in all seriousness. “I contacted your landlord and paid off the rent for you and Lisa for the next year so neither of you needs to worry about missing a payment. I talked with HR and your salary is paid up through the end of the year, and your medical costs are being handled by my insurance. Whatever else needs to be covered is coming to me.” 

Maggie stared at him, unable to even properly form a sentence. “I-I… W-Why?” 

“You were loyal to me.” Will shrugged. 

Mac smiled at her fiancé from where she was putting the flowers on the dining room table in a vase. 

Maggie got up carefully and hugged him, unable to stop the tears from slipping down her cheeks. “Thank you.”

Will held her for a moment, feeling like a proper father.


	5. Dried Rosebuds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this chapter took so long! Enjoy!

“How’s Maggie?” Hallie looked at her boyfriend as they chatted over Skype. He’d confessed that Maggie had told him she had been diagnosed with cancer, and Hallie asked him at least once per Skype-date. 

Jim scratched at the back of his neck and messed up his hair. “Mac said she started chemo… That’s all I’ve really heard. We signed a card…” He shrugged.

Hallie stared at him as he seemed to avoid eye contact and resumed whatever else he was working on so late in the office. “She’s your friend. You should visit her.” 

“I can’t imagine having your boss visit you is the most comfortable feeling when you’re throwing up,” Jim stated. 

“Mac’s her boss too, Jim. I’m sure she can handle seeing you for a little while. Take her some soup, or talk to Mac about how you can help,” Hallie said, watching as Jim stopped typing and rubbed his face. 

“I’ll talk to Mac about it,” Jim mumbled. He turned his eyes to Hallie. “Where are you off to next?” 

“Nowhere special. But I think I can take a short jaunt to New York,” she said, a grin slipping on her face. “Sound like a plan?”

“Sounds great.” Jim smiled back at Hallie. 

Hallie nodded. “We’ll make a pit stop to visit Maggie before dinner, and then hide out in your apartment for the rest of the weekend I’m able to come down.”

“Yes ma’am.” 

“Bye, Jim.”

“Bye, Hallie.”

They signed off and Jim sat back in his office chair. Everyone had left the office except for whoever was assigned to the alert desk tonight. He gathered his laptop and some other items he could take home and stuffed them in his messenger bag. Once he finally left the building, he headed immediately for the subway and took his usual twenty minute ride home. 

Jim dropped his coat vaguely by the door and headed for his bedroom. Sinking down onto the side of his bed, he stared at a group photo they had taken in the office the night of the Election when Mac and Will had first gotten engaged. Maggie stood to Jim’s right with Tess, Kendra and Tamara; the rest of the newsroom staff was on Will’s left. 

He liked that photo. His arm was casually around Maggie’s shoulders. Slipping his phone from his pocket, Jim dialed for Mac.

Her English falsetto came from the speaker when she answered. “Jim?”

“Hey, Mac.”

“Can I help you, Jim?” 

“I… Um… Never mind.” He remained on the line, unable to hang up without voicing his request. 

“Jim…. What’s wrong?” Mac knew him too well to end their conversation so soon. She spent three years with him in the Middle East; he should know not to lie to her. “Jim,” she said, firmer this time.

He hesitated before sighing. “Is there anything I can do to help?” Jim wasn’t sure if Mac was still at Maggie’s or if she and Will were at home by now. 

Mac sighed. “I would have to ask her… I can’t imagine she would feel up to it just yet. She’s still in the early stages of the side-effects.” After a pause, she continued, “I’ll ask her tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you,” he said, although once again Jim hesitated to hang up. 

Still on the line, Mac waited a moment. “Jim.”

“I just really want to help, Mac.”

“Jim Harper. As much as I’m sure you want to help, that’s also the same amount that Maggie doesn’t want you there. You’ve gathered your rosebuds and she doesn’t want to stop you from being happy.” She shouldn’t have said anything; really it was Maggie’s story to tell about why she didn’t want Jim to know, or him to be involved. But Mac wasn’t sure if the associate producer would ever tell him if she got the chance. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mac.” He finally hung up and sat for a few minutes. Jim sat in silence, replaying Mac’s words in his head. Lying back on his bed, Jim stared at the ceiling, his mind reeling with thoughts about Hallie and Maggie.


	6. Weekends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lazy Saturday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy hot cakes, Batman! A chapter so soon! Enjoy!

Usually he spent his weekends watching sports on all four screens. But in recent weeks he’d changed his routine. Mac had gone out shopping while he hung out with Maggie after her chemo appointment that morning. He lurked by the bathroom door and winced each time he heard Maggie heaving the remaining contents of her stomach. After a few minutes, Will knocked and tentatively pushed open the door.

Maggie had her back to him, currently propped against the cabinets below the sink. “Sorry, I was going to come out.” Her voice was hoarse, and she tried to clear her throat to remedy the situation but winced when it didn’t help. 

Will knelt down next to her, a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Hey, kiddo.” 

She smiled sheepishly at him, although she couldn’t exactly be embarrassed about the state he found her in. He had offered to sit with her today, like he offered every Saturday for the past month. “Hi…”

“Ready to move to the couch?” Will saw her shake her head, and sat down carefully opposite Maggie so his back was against the bathtub. He wasn’t going to force her to move if she didn’t feel ready. She looked thinner, paler. The doctor had said the first round of chemo wasn’t easy on the body, and clearly the oncologist was right.

Maggie started to tear up, putting her hand across her eyes to try and hide her emotions. 

Will looked at her for a moment, before reaching across the space between them and pulling Maggie to him. She continued to insist they not contact her family, but clearly she needed someone there. As Maggie sobbed into her hand he kept his arms around her.

As she attempted to clear her throat once her jag started to ease up, she wiped at her eyes and pulled away from Will. He quietly rubbed her back, poised for whatever she wanted to do next. 

“W-Will… If I asked you… to help me with something, would you?” Maggie looked up at him, searching his face for an answer. 

He nodded slightly. “Of course.”

Maggie shifted, and opened the cabinet. She found the electric clippers and held them out to her boss. 

Will stared at them for a moment, already piecing together what she wanted. “You’re sure?” He glanced between her and the clippers, his eyes settling on her. 

“Yeah… I might as well if it’s going to fall out,” she stated. 

It was harsh, but Will guessed she probably didn’t make such a decision lightly. He nodded and helped her sit on the toilet lid. She draped a towel around her shoulders while he plugged in the clippers and checked that they worked by briefly sliding the switch. “Ready?”

Inhaling deeply, Maggie nodded. “Yeah.” When she heard Will turn them on, Maggie closed her eyes. 

He was careful as he started working on the already short red hair Maggie had. Will continued as he made his way around her head in steady lines. It was finally all gone after a few minutes, lost on the towel, bits in her lap and mostly on the floor. Once he inspected his work to make it all even, he shut off the clippers and set them beside the sink. 

Finally she opened her eyes and slid the towel off. “Thanks.” She took her time dusting herself off, brushing the remnants of her hair onto the floor to clean up later. 

Will steadied Maggie as she got up and checked out his handiwork in the mirror.

“You know, if you weren’t some big shot, I’d say you could shave heads,” she said, smiling at him in the reflection. 

He smiled in return. They left the bathroom together; walking to the couch that Maggie called her bed in the one-bedroom apartment. She settled down first, at which point Will got himself some coffee, her some tea and them each a bowl of mashed potatoes. Once the food was distributed, he stopped at his jacket, slung casually over the back of a chair and dug into the pocket. Will returned and sat next to Maggie, holding something out to her.

She looked at him and then accepted the beanie. “What’s this for?” 

“I don’t really wear beanies. I think you could use this more than me.” He sat down next to her, picking up his bowl and taking a few bites. 

Maggie examined the accessory, noticing it was well worn. The tag was barely legible, but she could make out the initials _WM_ , far messier than what she had ever seen him write. She slid it on, finding a comfortable place for it to rest on her head. At first she thought it would be itchy, but she discovered the material to be soft and warm. Smiling to herself, Maggie sipped some tea and then ate her mashed potatoes slowly. Shifting slightly, she leaned against Will as they ate while watching a sports broadcast. 

Mac came in an hour later, carrying bags of groceries based on the list the doctor had provided that would be easy for Maggie to eat. “I think I found some soup you might like, and perhaps some tea—“ Mac stopped seeing the two on the couch. She dumped the bags on the counter and wandered over.

Will had his arm resting gently on Maggie’s shoulder, while she had her head resting on his leg as she dozed under her blanket. He was asleep, his head lolled backwards as the game continued. 

The executive producer smiled, incredibly tempted to take a photo, but instead she took in every moment of the scene before her. Mac was about to turn away when she noticed a familiar beanie on Maggie’s head. She knew Will always kept it in the pocket of his coat, but rarely wore it. There was no need to really ask her fiancé about it. She he confided in her that it was a childhood momento given to him by his father. Going quietly back into the kitchen, Mac started to put away the groceries with a smile on her face.


	7. Bouquet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hallie comes into town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long. Finals are approaching so I've been busy. Enjoy!

He wandered the small shop, examining the flowers and arrangements. Overall he found some that were incredibly beautiful, but none of them spoke to him. Not a single arrangement said , “Get well, Maggie” or, “Just thinking of you, Maggie.” The truth was, Jim _always_ thought about her. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, in the brief quiet moments he had in the office, he’d glance over at her unoccupied desk and wish she were there. Jim imagined she would sense him looking and turn. They would smile at each other before one of them got called away. He missed those moments.

A woman’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. “Looking for your girlfriend?” 

Jim looked up at the shop owner. “Oh. Um, sort of. She’s meeting me here.” 

“What do you want to say to her? Different flowers have different messages.” The woman stood with her hands behind her back, waiting for his answer. 

Just as he started to speak the bell of the door chimed, cutting him off. “Actually I—“ 

The door opened and in came Hallie. She glanced around, and her eyes met Jim’s. “Hey, there you are.” Hallie approached, and they exchanged a brief kiss. 

“Hey,” Jim smiled as he pulled away from the kiss. 

The shop owner lingered nearby, waiting for him to continue.

“Did you find something?” Hallie looked at her boyfriend.

“Not really. I was about to get some tips from—“ Jim turned to the shop owner, feeling rude for not learning her name. 

“Linda. Nice to meet you,” she said, shaking Hallie’s hand.

Jim nodded. “Yes. Linda was going to recommend some flowers or an arrangement.”

Hallie glanced around the shop before turning back to Linda and her boyfriend. “We’re looking for an arrangement for a friend of ours.”

“Oh, for a friend? Well, what’s the occasion?” Linda glanced between them. 

Having shoved his hands in his pockets he let Hallie do the talking. He couldn’t trust his mouth to not betray him. 

“A get well bouquet if you have something like that,” Hallie said. She started to follow the shop owner around as the woman seemed to understand the situation and went looking for a sample to show them. 

Hesitating for a second, Jim stared at the roses that professed love with their deep red color. Hallie calling him dragged him from his thoughts. 

“Jim?” They were on the other side of the small shop. 

“Yeah?” He looked up, feigning some interest like he had been listening the whole time. 

“How about this one?” Hallie gestured to a simple arrangement that was bright and cheerful, probably the perfect combination to brighten someone’s apartment. 

Jim forced a smile. “Looks great.”

Hallie started to make the finalizations and made the purchase while Linda created a fresh bouquet for them to take. They left the store with Hallie holding the bouquet in one hand, Jim’s hand in the other and him carrying her suitcase. As they walked they talked about new reports and the current state of the political climate. After a brief stop at Jim’s apartment so they could drop off Hallie’s suitcase, they headed for Maggie and Lisa’s. 

When they arrived the flowers didn’t look wilted at all. Jim stood at the door and knocked, letting Hallie hold the flowers as they waited for someone to answer. At first he wondered if anyone was home as there wasn’t any noise from within, but suddenly there was movement and locks started to click, before finally the door opened. But instead of Lisa or Maggie, it was Mac. 

“Mac?”

“Jim. Hallie. Hi.” Mac stared at them, noticing the flowers. 

“We came to see Maggie and give her flowers.” Hallie gestured to the bouquet. 

Mac stepped into the hallway and shut the door behind her. “I’m sorry, she’s sleeping at the moment and I don’t like to wake her. But I can give those to her when she wakes up.”

Hallie glanced at Jim and his boss before she nodded. “Oh, that would be great. Thanks, Mac.” She handed off the bouquet. 

Now holding the bouquet, Mac smiled at them both and nodded. “I’m sure Maggie will send along the proper thanks when she’s awake.” 

“We just hoped it would cheer up her apartment.” Hallie said, still holding one of Jim’s hands. 

Mac smiled and nodded. “Hallie. Would you mind giving Jim and I a moment? I need to discuss something work related.” The executive producer turned her gentle look from Hallie to a much sharper and persistent stare to Jim. 

“Go hail a cab. I’ll be right down.” Jim smiled to Hallie. 

Hallie nodded. “Yeah, sure.” She kissed his cheek and left them alone in the hallway. 

Mac didn’t waste a second and rounded on Jim. “What were you _thinking_ , Jim? Bringing Hallie? Really?”

Jim blinked. “It was her suggestion—“

The EP shook her head. “No. Don’t talk.” 

Her tone had changed, one that Jim usually recognized as Mac’s voice for when she was taking charge and was super annoyed with Will.

“Will and I care greatly about Maggie. We’re her family right now. And we’re trying to keep her relaxed. Coming here with your _girlfriend_ is the worst possible idea you could have ever had.” Mac stared him down. “I won’t let you hurt her, Jim. She deserves better than that.” She held the bouquet and looked at her senior producer. “You gathered the wrong rosebuds.”

Jim was staring at the ground, feeling like he was getting a stern talking to – because he was. Nodding, he glanced up at his boss. “I know.”

“I’ll tell Maggie something else about the flowers. But for now, you two need to leave.” Mac looked at him. “I expected better judgment from you, Jim.”

They stared at each other and he nodded again. “I know… I’m sorry.” Jim turned and headed after Hallie. She was down on the sidewalk with one foot in a cab, waiting for him. “Hey, sorry that took so long.” Jim slid in once Hallie slid in. 

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s order out.” Hallie slid her hand into Jim’s, letting him rattle off his address to the cabbie. 

“Sure.” Jim kissed her briefly before he stared out the window at the passing faces and cars.


	8. A Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Jim left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finals are over, it's been 1.5 weeks since I've been home. Time to get some chapters written for this. I'm sorry it's taken so long!

Mac closed the door when she returned to the apartment and sighed. She glanced at the flowers in her hand, debating what to do with them. A small card stuck out from the bouquet that said “Get Well Maggie” and was signed by Hallie and Jim. As much as she hated lying, she’d do it for Maggie. Pulling out the small card, she crumped it in one fist and stuffed it in the recycling bin. From there she went about putting the flowers in a vase, putting them on the center of the tiny dining room table. 

She would need to return to the office in an hour or two; Will would send Lonny to come get her. Looking at her napping associate producer, Mac sighed and went about heating up some soup. After another twenty minutes or so, Maggie seemed to stir on the couch at the smell of food. 

“Hungry?” Mac approached with a bowl of soup and some tea, setting them on the coffee table. 

Maggie shifted, sitting up carefully. “Thanks,” she said, her throat dry. She took the soup and sipped it gingerly. “Who left the flowers?” 

Mac glanced at Maggie then to the flowers, before back to Maggie. “Oh. The office. They sent them over.” 

Maggie stared at her boss for a moment. “Oh… Okay.” She sensed something was up, but didn’t want to prod Mac any further. The office had already sent her flowers, and so did anyone else that could possibly send flowers to her. 

Hesitating for a moment, Mac took a seat on the opposite side of the couch, sipping her own tea. “Maggie… are you sure you don’t want—“

“Mac. I don’t want to talk about it.” Maggie tried to brush her off, no interest in telling her parents despite Mac’s insistence. 

“Actually, that’s not what I was going to say, but perhaps I should have started that differently.” Mac looked up from her tea as Maggie stared at her with slight caution. “Hear me out.” 

Maggie nodded, consuming more of her soup.

Mac set her tea down. “You’ve been sleeping on this couch for as long as you and Lisa have been roommates. Don’t you want a bed?” 

“Lisa needs the sleep. I don’t mind,” Maggie said, remembering the terms she and Lisa had come up with when they originally became roommates after college. “There’s no way we could fit a bed in here.”

Mac chewed on the inside of her lip for a moment. “I don’t mean here. I mean somewhere else. You need the sleep, and should be comfortable.” 

“If you’re trying to tell me I should be comfortable in case I die, you don’t have to beat around the bush.” Maggie stared at Mac, letting the strength in her words hang in the silence between them. 

“We can’t think that way, Maggie. You’re not dying. Even your doctor said the treatment is helping.” Mac sighed, taking a sip of her tea before replacing the cup on the coffee table. “Will and I think you should move into his condo.” 

Maggie blinked. “What?”

“You’d have your own room, and a bed. Plus we can have Lonny help take you to appointments and get you food when Will and I are at work,” Mac said, listing off as many reasons as she could as to why this was a good idea. 

“M-Mac, I couldn’t possibly. Lisa needs me and—“

“Will paid your rent for the rest of the year. Lisa has plenty of time to save, or move, or something. But you deserve a bed and a room, and whatever else you need.” 

Maggie sat quietly, looking into her soup. The amount of kindness that poured from Will and Mac was overwhelming. They had done so much for her in the last two months that Maggie didn’t know how she could ever repay it all. And here they were offering her a room with a bed. 

“I can’t imagine what you’re feeling all the time… But you just need to worry about you, not Lisa, or me, or Will. Focus on you and your health. Let us handle the rest.” Mac could see that Maggie’s face was slightly red. She reached between them and took the soup out of her hands and set it on the coffee table. Moving next to Maggie, Mac pulled her in to a hug, letting the girl cry on her shoulder. “Should I take that as a yes?”

Maggie nodded against Mac’s shoulder.


	9. Milkshakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for an update!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy cow! It's been well over a month! I'm so sorry! Personal life and the new semester got in my way. But I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Maggie sat uncomfortably on the hospital bed. Lonny had offered to hang in the hallway, but Maggie said she didn’t mind if he stayed in her room. Although the bodyguard was mostly for Will, and was merely for ACN’s peace of mind, Maggie found that Lonny seemed to put her fears at ease too. 

“Are you sure you don’t want anything?” Lonny looked up from the car magazine he had perched in his lap as he sat in a plastic chair against the wall. 

“No. Thanks though,” she said, smiling at him. She had taken a quick liking to Lonny way back when he first started protecting Will. While he was physically very large, that wasn’t the only thing the bodyguard had going for him – he happened to be whip smart too. “This shouldn’t be too long.” That’s what she kept telling herself. The appointment was just to go over her last test results, informing her how effective the treatment was so far and what the next steps needed to be. 

“We’ve been doing this back and forth for a month now, and this place still makes my palms sweat,” Lonny said, shaking his head. He focused on Maggie. “And here you are a skinny, white girl with cancer, and you’re not even shaking, or pacing.”

Maggie cracked a smile. “I’ve just spent more time here. You get used to it.” Somehow Lonny could always put her in a good mood. But then again, all Maggie could do was take everything in stride. 

“I’ll tell you what; you’re a much bigger badass than you give yourself credit for.”

She wasn’t sure if he knew everything that happened in Africa, but Maggie didn’t care at this point who knew and who didn’t. There were larger concerns on her mind anyway… Like what was taking the doctor so long to come back with her results. Maggie closed her eyes, trying to not think about it. The more she focused on his tardiness, the more she got anxious. Forcing the thoughts from her mind she closed her eyes and focused on some relaxing breathing. 

Finally the door opened and in slipped a nurse. “Miss Jordan? Dr. Collins wants us to move you to her office for this part. You can follow me there.”

“Oh, sure.” Maggie slid off the bed.

Lonny started to open his mouth, probably to tell her he’d stay behind.

“You can come. I don’t mind.” She didn’t want to sound needy, but he was the reassurance she wanted in the room if she needed support. 

The bodyguard stared at her for a moment, thinking he saw a slight pleading look in her eyes and nodded. “Sure thing.”

They headed down the confusing hallways a few turns and finally found themselves being led into an office. Maggie was sure she could find her way back if she wasn’t so focused on the tile floor or the pounding of her heart in her chest. 

“Maggie, Lonny, good morning,” Dr. Collins said, rising from her seat. She had come to know the faces of Maggie’s “home team” rather quickly. The doctor quickly shook hands with Lonny and then Maggie. “Have a seat and we can discuss your test results.”

Sliding into one of the chairs, Maggie glanced around the office. She had been here before, back when she was first diagnosed. The plant in the corner by the window was doing better, but otherwise the office had remained unchanged. Forcing her eyes away from the healthy bamboo – a sign she hoped was also for herself – Maggie turned her attention to her oncologist. 

“So, are we going to stay on course?” Maggie looked at her, hopeful that the answer would be yes. 

Dr. Collins stared at her patient for a moment, glancing between Maggie and Lonny. “At this point, it would be best if we changed tactics. This is far more aggressive than we anticipated.” The woman looked down at the file and test results before her and then turned her eyes back to Maggie. “We can keep going at it with just the chemo, but I don’t think it’s going to work as quickly as we need it to.”

Maggie’s eyes were looking at the mahogany desktop. She didn’t realize she was holding her breath until she looked to her doctor to speak and found she had to exhale before she could get out any words. “What next?” Her voice was hollow as she sat there, emotionless and unflinching. 

Lonny blinked at the diagnosis. He glanced to Maggie when she spoke, watching her take in the doctor’s words, very nearly sentencing her to her death bed. 

“Based on where the cancer is spreading, we should probably do surgery and attempt to remove as much of it as possible.” Dr. Collins closed the blinds behind her and then showed Maggie the recent scans. She showed how pervasive the cancer was already spreading, and that they clearly needed a more aggressive approach. “I can give you time to make the decisions, and answer any necessary questions.”

“How long would I have?” Maggie stared at the scans on the backlight board. 

Dr. Collins followed Maggie’s eyes for a moment before looking at the associate producer. “If we do nothing, six months. If we give it everything we’ve got, years. But if we just keep going the casual course… a year, two if we up our game a bit more.”

They were silent in the office as Maggie weighed her options.

“I’ll tell you at the end of the week. I need some time.” She stood and started for the door. 

Lonny jumped up to follow her. “Cancer always gets the good ones,” he said, shaking his head as he took one final look at the scans before he headed after Maggie. His young charge was halfway down the hall when he stepped from the office. He quickly caught up to her, seeing how red her face was as she tried to hold back tears. Reaching out, he snagged her arm and pulled her to stop, not even thinking twice when he pulled her into a hug. 

Maggie burst into tears as she buried her face in Lonny’s large chest. 

“You’re a badass, Maggie. Don’t let this slow you down.” He held her as nurses and doctors walked past, as other patients stepped around them. 

“I’m dying, Lonny.” Maggie stepped back, looking up at him.

The bodyguard stared at her and shrugged. “At least if you do, you’ll go down fighting.” He waited a beat before he continued, “Come on. Let’s get some milkshakes and French fries and watch a baseball game on Will’s big screen. Or some chick flick.” 

Maggie smiled at his offer as she wiped at her eyes and nodded. “Sure.”

“Go get some more information from Collins. Some kind of pamphlets or shit like that. I’ll wait right here.” He pushed her gently, and before he knew it she headed off the way they came. Lonny watched her for a moment before he whipped out his phone and dialed.

The call was answered on the second ring, and they didn’t even get a chance to say a greeting.

“We didn’t get the good news, Will.”


	10. Office Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will, Mac and Lonny have a lot of things to discuss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of my birthday, I figured it was time for a chapter update!

Will sat at his desk, arms crossed.

Mac leaned against the low shelf along the window, currently hugging herself in the silence. 

Lonny stood before Will’s desk, looking like he was ready for a fight. “What now?” He took Maggie back to Will’s after picking up some milkshakes and French fries. They watched a chick flick followed by the remaining hour of a baseball game. Maggie went to her room for a nap, which gave the bodyguard a chance to get to ACN’s office. 

“Did she say what she wanted to do?” Will glanced at Lonny.

The bodyguard shrugged. “She looked through the pamphlets while we ate. But she seems numb right now. I think she wants to fight though. That girl is a fighter.”

Mac remained quiet as she looked at the carpet for a few moments. “We should tell her family.”

Will looked over at his fiancé. “Mac, she already expressed that’s not what she wants.”

“She could _die_ , Will. If she dies, they’ll wonder why no one called; why no one warned them back when it all started.” Mac stared him down.

“Yes. She _could_ die. We can talk to her about contacting her parents. But if that’s not what she wants, we need to respect that,” Will said, looking back at the executive producer.

Lonny glanced between them. He’d been witness to how caring these two were of Maggie. They had easily assumed the role of surrogate parents and were doing a stellar job at it by his book. The bodyguard wondered if Mac and Will even wanted kids. As far as he could guess, they didn’t; but if they did, he knew they would slip into those roles with ease.

“What are her options again?” Mac looked over at Lonny, wanting to hear them for herself one more time.

Taking the pamphlet off Will’s desk, Lonny passed it to her. 

Mac accepted it, staring at the cover for a moment. It seemed rather heartless to give someone a packet of information to help them decide if they wanted to fight for their life or waste away. Then again, the last time she was fighting for her life, she wasn’t fighting cancer. A stab wound was easier to treat compared to the extensive treatment Maggie required. Opening up the pamphlet, Mac started to digest the information. She noticed someone had jotted additional tidbits into the blank spaces – Lonny’s handwriting was easy to pick out. 

Will remained silent, his focus on his desktop. This wasn’t the afternoon he was expecting. His mind mulled over how young Maggie was, and how fate had dealt her a terrible situation.

Lonny looked between them both. “You guys can’t seriously just sit quietly about this. We gotta do _something_.” 

“We will… But this isn’t our decision to make.” Mac’s focus was on all the information she needed to properly digest.

“That girl is scared out of her mind. And we’re just gonna sit here and hope she picks the right choice? Go talk to her and tell her she’s gotta fight this tooth and nail.” Lonny hated silence more than he hated the night Will got high and ran off to the studio.

Will sighed. “She’s an adult, Lonny. We can’t tell Maggie what to do as much as we can tell Obama to reinstate Glass-Steagall.” 

“I’ll carry her kicking and screaming to every appointment if I have to. I won’t let her give up—“ A knock on the door broke up their conversation.

Jim stepped in, looking at both of his bosses. He could sense he had interrupted an important conversation. “We’re ready for the final rundown.”

Mac barely glanced up from what she was reading. 

“Thanks, Jim. We’ll be out in a bit.” Will nodded to the senior producer, and watched him retreat out of the office. “Mac.” He turned to her and saw how deeply she was drawn in to the pamphlet. “Mac!” 

Looking up, her eyes darted between Lonny and Will. “Sorry. There’s a lot of information to digest. Time for the rundown?” 

“Yeah.” Will got up from his desk. “Mac and I will talk with Maggie tonight.”

Lonny nodded and left the office. He was headed for the hall of elevators when he was stopped by Sloan. 

“So what’s the news?” Sloan stared up at Lonny.

“Not my news to tell.” He shrugged. The bodyguard was used to the associate producers and anchors inquiring about Maggie. If he had a message from her to them, normally he’d have something to say. 

Sloan chewed on the inside of her lip for a beat as she stared him down. “You sure? Usually you don’t come into the office in the middle of the day and seclude yourself in the office with Will and Mac.” She knew how to intimidate when need be. “Seemed to be an intense conversation.”

“Look. All I can say is things aren’t good right now. Go talk economics and intimidate your viewers.” Lonny turned and stepped past Sloan, heading into the hallway. 

Will stared at his fiancé. She was clearly distracted, but she’d run the broadcast just fine. “Mac…”

“It’s nothing. We’ll talk to her tonight.” Mac waved her hand and dropped the pamphlet on Will’s desk.

He grabbed her arm, pulling her to face him before she had a chance to flee the office. “Mac.” 

There was that gentleness in his voice that she had fallen in love with. That simple, almost pleading and quiet way he said her name. She’d heard him talk that way to Maggie. This was the Will that few people got the opportunity to see. Mac stared up into his eyes as she felt him take both of her hands.

“Everything will be fine. We’ll talk to Maggie, and fight this with her.” Will squeezed her hands before he pulled back into a hug.


	11. Coffee Habit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been forever! I'm so sorry! Finals came, and it was all a mess. BUT I started this during finals and never got it posted. So here you go! I'm sorry if it's awful.

Sloan lingered by Don’s door. She crossed her arms, glancing in the direction of Will’s office as the couple left and headed for the conference room. 

Don wandered over from the nearby break room, newspaper in hand and a mug of coffee in the other. “Is there any reason you’re hanging around my office?” He paused outside the door and glanced at Sloan. “I don’t mind, but usually you don’t linger unless it’s important—“

“Something’s up with Maggie.” Sloan watched the rundown meeting from a distance, before turning her attention to her boyfriend. 

“…What sort of something?” Don still had some feelings for Maggie. Although their relationship didn’t work out, he still cared for her, especially at a time like this. 

“I don’t know. But it can’t be good if Lonny stormed in to Will’s office earlier and they had a closed-door conversation.” 

Everyone in the newsroom had probably figured out by now that something was up. It was rare to see Lonny during the day. The bodyguard was only around in the morning and the evening. 

Don stayed quiet for a moment, glanced to Sloan and then sipped his coffee. “We shouldn’t jump to any conclusions until we know more.”

“We should tell Jim.” Sloan looked over at the conference room where they were doing the final rundown. 

“No. We shouldn’t tell him anything.” Don turned and looked at his girlfriend.

“Why? He deserves to know if she’s going to die.” Sloan stared him down. 

Don shook his head. “Babe, listen to me. You won’t tell Jim anything. If something is up, the news should come from Maggie or Will and Mac.”

Sloan’s gaze had already drifted back to Jim. “I’m going to tell him.”

“You didn’t listen to anything I just said.” Don sighed. “Don’t do anything.” He used his elbow on the doorknob and got his office door open. Before he proceeded inside he looked to Sloan. “Please. Don’t say anything to Jim.”

She remained frozen by Don’s door, but gave him a cursory glance. “I don’t know what I’d tell him anyway.” Sloan turned back to her boyfriend, this time taking note of the coffee mug in one hand. “You already had cup today.” 

Don stared at her. “I live off coffee. You know that.”

“You said you were trying to quit.” Sloan stared him down. 

“You say that like I’m trying to quit smoking or coke.” Don turned to go to his desk chair. “This entire newsroom lives off coffee. Take it away and we’ll start world war three with the Tea Party; I can guarantee that.”

“Caffeine isn’t required by the FDA to be labeled, even if it’s a drug. And that grande latte you had this morning has the same amount of caffeine in it as nine cans of soda.”

Dropping the paper on his desk, Don looked at Sloan. He sipped some of his coffee and then set the mug on the newspaper. “I’ll cut back, okay?”

“When?” Sloan stared him down. 

“Soon.” Don shrugged. “I don’t know!” 

“Pick when you’ll start.”

“It’ll be my new year’s resolution.” 

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at her boyfriend. “New Years is eight months away.” 

“New Year, new me. It has a nice ring to it.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.” 

Don waved her off. “Go look at stocks or something.” 

Sloan smirked and headed for her office. Automatically she turned to look at the conference room for the final rundown. She kept her eyes on the back of Jim’s head before she turned into her office.


	12. Fix You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written to the sounds of: Fix You - Coldplay and To Build a Home - The Cinematic Orchestra.

Hospitals were his least favorite place. In recent months he had been there a lot. But today he sat slightly slouched in a chair staring at the television in the waiting room. There were others lingering too, anticipating news about a loved one in surgery. Will scanned the faces, making note of the children, the parents, the siblings, the spouses; although he didn’t know all the connections just by looking at the faces, they were mere assumptions. 

“Who are you here for?” A voice to his left said.

Will turned to see who it was, and saw the woman sitting one chair away looking at him. Without missing a beat, he said, “My daughter.” Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Lonny staring at him over a magazine from the row of chairs opposite him. The word had come out easily. While the title wasn’t true, the last time he felt this comfortable saying something with such high importance was when he asked Mac to marry him. “What about you?”

“My grandson is here for surgery on his elbow,” the woman said. She glanced at the ominous double-doors by the nurse’s station. 

The surgeons would come out in their scrubs, asking for the family in order to give an update. For the past two hours a few surgeons had come out to speak to whoever awaited the patient that was on their table. Sometimes it was good news, with large smiles, thank-yous and hugs. But occasionally their tones were hushed; faces turned red and tear streaked. Those families were whisked away for privacy.

“Baseball player?” Will looked at the woman, remembering when he had surgery on his elbow. 

The woman grinned. “A very good one. He’s a pit—“

“A pitcher,” Will finished. He caught her confused look and proceeded to explain. “I was a pitcher through high school and college. Your grandson will come out good as new.”

“You’ve had this surgery too?” 

Will nodded. “Twenty years ago. It’s far more successful now. He’ll be on the mound in no time,” he said, giving her a smile. 

Nodding, she turned away from him, staring in front of her as they both fell silent. “You never said what your daughter is having surgery for.” Her attention was back on him. 

“Oh.” He didn’t think he’d have to share. The anchor could feel his bodyguard’s eyes on him, but Will continued to ignore him. “Cancer. They’re removing her tumors.”

“I’m so sorry.” She continued to stare at him in complete sincerity. 

Smirking at the sympathy, he nodded slightly. As much as Maggie had expressed hating those words, Will found he loathed them too. Time and again she fought them about hearing them apologize or coddle her. Maggie didn’t want their sympathy. It only took her one rant to stop Will and Mac from using that phrase. They obliged her request and made sure it was never used in reference to Maggie’s cancer. 

“I think I’m going to get some coffee. Would you like to join me?” The woman had gathered her purse and looked to the anchor. 

He smiled at her. “No, I’m okay. Thank you for the offer.” Will watched her smile and walk off in the direction of the cafeteria. His eyes settled on Lonny.

“Your daughter?”

Will shrugged. “It was so easy to say,” he said, and started to trail off. “Should I have said she was my assistant and an associate producer on my show? That sounds more serious. This was much easier to say.”

“Cause you basically are her parents. She won’t contact them.” The bodyguard crossed his arms as he shook his head. “Somebody should tell ‘em.”

“It’s not our call.” 

They were both there that day. Another round of tests that left Maggie staring into space once they were all over with. Ever since that last meeting, she’d been doing that a lot. She would move slowly around his condo, and he or Mac would find her sitting somewhere just staring out a window. The dark circles under her eyes and the constant yawning continued to tell them she wasn’t sleeping properly. But this second round of tests was to determine their next action; and he wanted to be there for it. Her oncologist came in bearing the results and the actions to be taken.

“I wanna fight.” Maggie didn’t even wait for Dr. Collins to take a seat or get too far behind her desk. 

“Maggie—“ the woman started to say.

“If this is going to kill me, I want you to throw everything at this. Be aggressive. I can handle it,” she said, staring down Dr. Collins. 

Finally taking her seat, the oncologist looked at Maggie and then opened her file. “This is going to be very aggressive. More so than anything you’ve had so far. Do you understand?”

“Yes. I understand.” Maggie was flanked by Will and Mac. She hadn’t included them in the decision, but she knew they supported her in whatever she chose.

“We want to do surgery to remove the tumors. A few are rather complicated to get out.” Dr. Collins continued to watch Maggie. 

Maggie returned her gaze. “Yes, I understand. I want to go down fighting.” 

With a nod, Dr. Collins jotted something down. “We’ll get you squared away for radiation and another round of chemotherapy. And we’ll schedule you for surgery immediately.”

“Good. I’ve got nothing left to lose,” Maggie said, standing up as the meeting was over.

Will sat in that chair for hours. Lonny had disappeared to get them both something to eat from the cafeteria, leaving the anchor alone with his thoughts. The double-doors opened, revealing many surgeons, but none of them were Maggie’s. He wondered if this is what it would have been like to wait for Mac when she was injured overseas. 

“Mr. McAvoy?” Standing before the anchor was Maggie’s surgeon. 

Will turned to her. “Dr. Collins,” he said, and instantly he was on his feet. “Call me, Will. How is she?” 

“She’s in recovery… We ran into some complications.”

“What?” He stared at the woman, not expecting that answer. “What kind of complications?” 

Dr. Collins sighed. “We got everything, but her body couldn’t take it. She crashed on our table, we revived her…”

Will shook his head. This was not how today was supposed to go. “Can I see her?”

“She’s in recovery. When they move her out of there I’ll take you to see her.” 

He nodded, not really sure what to do now. “Thank you, Dr. Collins.” Finally he looked to her.

“I’ll be back in a little while,” Dr. Collins said, patting his shoulder before she headed off. 

Will sank into his chair, staring off for so long that he didn’t notice when Lonny returned. “I brought you back that candy bar you like—“ The body guard stopped seeing Will look up at him, expecting some quip at the tip of the anchor’s tongue. “What?” 

“Take a seat.”

 

“You can hang around here. The kitchen has pop tarts, and after the show we’ll go down with everyone to Hang Chews for tuna jerky and some drinks,” Jim said, leading Hallie through the newsroom. She dropped her bags by his desk. “We’re really busy tonight.”

“Jim, it’s okay. I can sit here and entertain myself,” Hallie said, smirking at her boyfriend. 

The senior producer smirked. “I’ll come back in a bit.” Jim headed for the conference room for their final rundown.

They went through their usual morning meeting, broken up by lunch and a few hours of prep for that night’s show. Everyone was going through the motions, but something much heavier weighed on their minds. The notable absence of their anchor didn’t help either. No one wanted to outright say what it was – what everyone knew – for fear of jinxing it. It was taboo to speak about it, about her. 

“We’ll put the story about Wisconsin in the A block and drop the updates from Seattle to B. Elliot?” Mac looked over at their substitute. 

He was smiling down at his Blackberry, but looked up when Mac said his name. “Yeah, it sounds great. Sorry, my daughter was texting me.” 

Lonny rushed from the elevator and into the newsroom. He paused, looking around for Mac until at last he spotted her in the conference room with some of the other associate producers. They met eyes through the glass. The bodyguard made his way around the desks and opened the door. “Mac. We gotta go.” Everyone in the conference room turned their attention to Lonny.

Mac looked at him. “I’ll get Don.”

Jim blinked. “What’s going on?”

“Don is going to take the show. It’s an emergency.” She didn’t have to continue for everyone to understand. Mac left the conference room in a rush and crossed the newsroom into Don’s office. They spoke briefly before the executive producer left with Lonny. 

Don stood outside his office, staring after Mac and Lonny with everyone else in the newsroom.

“What happened?” Hallie had gotten up from her seat at his desk and made it over to where he stood outside the conference room. 

The senior producer didn’t look at his girlfriend, gathering his thoughts. “She had her surgery today. That’s why Will isn’t here, because he wanted to be with her,” Jim said.

Hallie nodded, starting to see the whole picture. “Maybe it’s not too bad.” 

“Mac wouldn’t leave unless it was bad.” If there was one thing working for Mac had taught him, it was that she was loyal to those that worked for her. “She left because Maggie doesn’t have anyone except for her and Will. They’ve been holding her hand this whole time.” 

“Jim. She has family she can call too,” Hallie said, stepping closer and putting a hand on his shoulder. 

He shook his head. “No. No, she wouldn’t want to bother them.” Inhaling deeply, he turned to his girlfriend. “I’m sorry, Hallie.”

“What?” She dropped her hand from his shoulder and took a step back.

“It was always her, and it will always be her, Hallie. I’m sorry,” Jim said, looking at her. They stared at each other; Hallie was reading Jim’s face as he finally spoke about the elephant in the room.

“I know.”

Jim smiled sadly at her, and hurried out of the newsroom. 

 

Will sat quietly by the bed, holding her hand. Her skin felt cold, which was a side effect of the chemo. He glanced at the heart monitor, hearing it beep in rhythm with the ventilator. “We need you around the newsroom. I may not have remembered your name at first, but you’ve always made a good impression. It’s why I want you to stay around.”

Her heels clicked on the floor as she quick walked down the hallway next to the bodyguard. She followed his gesture when he signaled when to turn. Mac stopped in the door seeing Will sitting there, sadly staring at Maggie. “Will…” Taking in the equipment, she walked further into the room.

He looked up hearing his name, smiling small seeing his fiancé. “They’ll take her off the ventilator if she starts breathing on her own. But they’re not sure about everything else.”

“Damn.” Lonny stood in the doorway. He took in the sight of all the equipment and how small it made Maggie look. 

Mac took Maggie’s other free hand and gave it a squeeze. “This is so fucking unfair,” she whispered.

“I know,” Will said, looking at Mac. With his free hand he reached for Mac’s, and the two held hands across the bed. “We should call her family.”

“Yeah…”


	13. Post-Op

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim finally makes it to the hospital room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the long wait! But please enjoy!

The instant the elevator chimed that it had reached the lobby, Jim rushed through the barely open doors and across the marble. He was out the door and to the sidewalk, arm up to hail a cab. Once one finally pulled over, and yanked open the door and slid in, spouting the name of the hospital. Jim was on his way within moments.

He kept glancing at his watch, knowing it wasn’t that long of a ride to the hospital, but hoping they could make it there faster than usual. “Any chance you can go faster?” Jim looked at the review mirror, he and the driver exchanged a glance.

“Unless you can part the waters, we’re stuck here, man,” the cabbie said, gesturing to the sea of yellow cabs and their red break lights.

“How far are we?”

“Twenty blocks. We’ll get there,” he answered, and then glanced to Jim through the mirror.

Jim shook his head; there wasn’t time to wait. He dug out his wallet from his inner jacket pocket and glanced at the meter. “Here. Keep the change,” he said, and thrust enough cash for the fare through the window. With that, he bailed out of the taxi and rushed around the cars until he hit the sidewalk and burst into a dead run. As he weaved around people on the crowded sidewalk and carefully crossed streets, Jim tried to think what he’d say to Maggie. Mac had left in a hurry, so clearly something had happened during the surgery. If Maggie were dying, what would his final words be to her?

For twenty blocks he sprinted, glad that his high school years running cross country could finally pay off. He hadn’t felt this much adrenaline through his system since being in the Middle East with Mac. Or the day they reported on Bin Laden. They were two extremes, but Jim thrived off of them. Glancing at the street signs, he saw the hotel looming ahead, and he ran into the entrance and up to the front desk. “M-Maggie Jordan… Where?” Jim leaned against the front desk to catch his breath, staring at the nurse.

The nurse stared back at him, wide-eyed, at his sudden arrival. “Do you know where she’d be? What’s your relation to Miss Jordan?” She stared at him, already turning slightly to her computer.

“Post-op? Recovery? Somewhere. She had surgery today. I’m her boy—“ Jim stopped himself before the next word, hesitating if he wanted to take that step. He took a breath before he continued. “I’m her boyfriend.”

She typed on her computer, searching for the patient in question. “They moved her from Post-op to recovery an hour ago. Room eight-sixteen.”

“Thank you,” Jim said, and headed for the bank of elevators, where he punched his thumb against one of the buttons. He stepped in when the doors opened and tapped the white button for the eighth floor. The doors slid closed and he was alone in the silence with his thoughts. Zoned out, Jim stared at the silver doors. _Boyfriend, really?_ That was a title he knew he didn’t deserve, not after the last few months. But he threw it at the nurse like he had earned it ages ago.

Jim took several deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart. With a glance at the LEDs indicating his floor, he finally saw them shift into an eight as the carriage chimed. As the doors slid open, he stared out for a moment before he stepped onto the floor. He looked for where room sixteen would be, and finally turned right seeing the room numbers count up. _Nine, ten, eleven… come on_. Finally he saw the one he wanted and turned into the doorway and took in the scene.

Lonny was seated just inside the door against the wall, and looked up at the newcomer, expecting a nurse or doctor instead. He stared at Jim with his jaw set, not entirely sure what to think of the senior producer showing up. The bodyguard had a lot of words to say to the man about his treatment of Maggie (even _he_ was aware of the situation between the two), but decided now was not the time.

Mac was on the phone staring out the window, speaking quietly; she hadn’t noticed his arrival yet.

Will sat on Maggie’s right, holding her hand as he looked between the associate producer and his fiancé. He looked over at Jim in the doorway and stood. “What’re you doing here?” Instantly he went into fight mode.

“Mac left. And I knew something was up,” Jim said, his eyes had finally settled on Maggie. She looked small surrounded by the machines, the ventilator loudly pumping air in her as her heart monitor beeped in rhythm. He took a few steps into the room, stopping a short of the bed.

“What’re you doing here, Jim?” Will kept one hand holding Maggie’s, and the other was a fist. He knew how Maggie felt about the senior producer, and how hurt she had been when he started dating Hallie after Lisa. Will saw how her life had turned into a mess, how everything had changed since Africa; since Genoa. There was one weekend night in particular that stuck out in his mind. He and Mac had expressed how much other staffers wanted to help attend appointments and take care of her; Jim’s name had come up once or twice. And something changed in her body language whenever he was mentioned. She would almost collapse inwardly, hiding the unshed tears in her eyes as she mumbled something about how he was too busy with Hallie and the show. But Will knew what it really was, and he was going to protect her when she needed to focus on herself.

Jim pulled his gaze from Maggie to Will. “I’m here for her. I wanna be here for her.”

“It’s too late for that,” Will said, standing firm by Maggie’s side. “You need to leave.”

“How bad is it?” Jim looked to the anchor.

“Leave, Jim.” Will wasn’t messing around. He released Maggie’s hand and began to step around the side of the bed.

Lonny jumped up and moved to them, putting a hand between Jim and Will. “This isn’t the time or place for a fight. Cause first off, I’m gonna have to beat this skinny boy’s ass if I deem him a threat to you. And second, I’m not gonna take him down in a hospital, cause this ain’t the place.” He looked between them and then nodded to Maggie. “Don’t get me wrong, I wanna beat him up for not bein’ around for her, but she wouldn’t want that and you know it, McAvoy.”

Jim mentally winced at Lonny’s admonishment. He definitely couldn’t blame either of them, and had no arguments to defend himself.

“Will,” Mac said, breaking into their conversation. She held out her Blackberry to the anchor. “You said you’d cover the arrangements for her parents.”

Will nodded slightly, his eyes still on Jim. “Yeah,” he said, and turned away to accept the phone. He greeted the caller and stepped into the hallway.

Mac looked at her senior producer and sighed.

Lonny had stepped back and sank into his chair to keep an ear on Will.

“Mac, what happened?” Jim looked at her, hoping she’d be kind enough to give him more details. His eyes went from the executive producer to Maggie, staying on the once blonde, snarky associate producer.

“They were removing her tumors; as many as they could get. She hemorrhaged on the table, and coded. Dr. Collins was able to bring her back,” Mac said, approaching the bed. With a gentle hand, Mac brushed back some of Maggie’s hair and then looked to Jim. “Her doctor was nearly finished when it all came crashing down.”

Jim stayed quiet throughout Mac’s explanation, his eyes focused on Maggie; in the hallway he could hear Will talking to someone about flights. “She didn’t tell her parents,” he said, connecting the dots.

Mac gave him a slight nod. “She didn’t want to worry them until there was something they needed to know. Will is going to get them here, just in case,” she said, all of their attention was on Maggie. “What’re you doing here, Jim?” Mackenzie turned away from the hospital bed and properly faced her senior producer.

“Mac, I know I wasn’t there for her; but I want to be now,” he said, tearing his eyes away from the hospital bed.

“You should prepare yourself. It might be too late,” she said, her voice quiet. The last thing she wanted was for Jim to end up like how she and Will had been for the past few years before their engagement. Granted, it appeared that Maggie and Jim’s relationship had skipped past years of drama and straight to possible deathbed heartbreak.

“She’s not dying is she?” Jim kept his eyes on Mac, hoping her body language would give her away. But she remained stoic. He grit his teeth and shifted again so that his feet were firmly planted. “Mac. Please, you can be honest with me.” The senior producer recalled all the times overseas when they were informed someone they knew had passed – whether it reporter or marine. She always delivered the news to her team.

Mac had slipped her hands around one of Maggie’s, and looked to Jim. “The doctors don’t know. She might wake up fine, or there might be brain damage. Or, she might not wake up at all,” she said, her voice steady as it had been every time they received bad news while they were embeds.

It was that very same voice; the tone that suggested finality that made his chest tighten. Jim inhaled, and briefly nodded as they stared at each other. He looked back to Maggie.

The anchor entered the room, hanging up the Blackberry and walking over to Mac. “Her parents will be here in the morning. Lonny, I’ve emailed you the itinerary so you can pick them up,” he said, glancing at his bodyguard. Will handed over the phone to Mac, and placed a hand on the small of her back.

“Sure thing,” he said, digging out his own phone and skimming the details.

Will stared at Maggie and then turned his eyes to Jim. “You’re still here?”

“I know I messed up. But nothing will stop me from being here for her now.” The two stared each other down. “You’ve been here for hours. Go get something to eat. I’ll stay here.”

Will clenched his jaw. “I’m fine.”

Mac left her Blackberry on the bed and touched Will’s arm. “We’ll get some coffee and be back in a bit,” she said, shifting and holding Will’s hand. She got the anchor moving, and the two disappeared out of the room.

“You call me if something happens,” Lonny said, rising from his seat and pointing at Jim. He followed the couple out and down the hallway.

Jim approached the bed, reaching out and tentatively rubbing a finger on the back of Maggie’s hand as if to make sure she were real. He stepped forward and took her left hand in both of his. “You’ve got quite the team…” The ventilator continued to make noise, which made him feel less like he was talking to himself. “Your parents will be here in the morning.” As he searched his brain for conversation topics, Jim shook his head. Releasing her hand for a moment, he snagged a chair by the wall and brought it closer. He resumed holding her hand once he was seated. “We’re all here for you. The whole staff is pulling for you, even if they don’t know what’s going on right now.” Jim let the life support machines fill the silence as his mind raced with a thousand things he wanted to say.

It was forty minutes later before Mac and Will wandered in with Lonny in tow. Mac brought over a to-go cup for Jim and held it out to him, while Will grabbed another chair to join his on Maggie’s right. “I thought you’d want this.”

“Thank you,” Jim said, accepting it and taking a careful sip. Three years as embeds together and she still remembered how he took his coffee – although now they didn’t have to worry about drinking coffee so strong it was practically mud.

Mac settled into the chair next to Will and used the remote to turn on the lone TV to _News Night_. She had to make sure Don was doing a stand-up job while she was away. As she sipped at her coffee, her hand slid into Will’s. They both had their eyes tuned to the television.

Jim observed them for several minutes before he too became absorbed in the news. First it was Elliot in Will’s spot, and then it was Sloan in Elliot’s seat. That was how the shuffle worked when the face of _News Night_ was absent. Another ACN show came on after _Right Now with Elliot Hirsch_ and Jim looked over at Will and Mac.

He’d never seen Mac so relaxed. She had long since taken off her heels and had somehow managed to get herself comfortable on the plastic chair. Her head was on Will’s shoulder as she breathed evenly with her eyes closed. Jim noted the dark circles under her eyes – remnants of their time as embeds even three years since. But he could also sense that Maggie’s treatment had taken its toll on the EP too with months of late nights at the office and early morning chemo appointments. The woman worried about her team like a mother; but she rarely let that affect her work.

Will moved carefully while Mac was dozing on him. He would pull an all-nighter if he had to - something he’d done regularly once Maggie moved in. Normally the girl said he didn’t need to dote on her, but he insisted that he’d keep her company. At some point they would both fall asleep on the couch while Netflix rolled through episodes of whatever show they picked that night. Staring at the girl for a moment, he wished they could turn back time, go back to before all of this happened. Looking away, Will settled in his chair and closed his eyes. Within ten minutes he had fallen asleep.

Between the sounds of the television and the rhythm of the life support machines, Jim didn’t know how either of his bosses could sleep. The hospital felt sterile, despite the paintjob to make it not appear so eerie. He glanced between the television, and his bosses, before he stared at the pattern on the screen of the heart monitor. It hadn’t changed, but remained strong – or at least that’s what he could assume based on its consistency. Jim looked to Maggie and reached up to the bed and taking her left hand in both of his. His eyes flicked back to the heart monitor to see if it changed, but it never did.

“Maggie… It’s Jim, but you probably know that,” he said, staring up at the face hidden behind a ventilator tube. “I really messed up. And I wish I could take it all back. I should have been here for you.”

Jim shook his head as he stared at Maggie, and looked away. “I’m too late to fix it. Mac warned me not to let it happen, and I did,” he whispered, squeezing her hand. He blinked back tears as he glared at the floor.

 


	14. Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally they arrive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sheesh. I really need to stop leaving you guys in the waiting room. But thank you for always coming back. I'm sorry that it takes so long for me to update.

Someone was saying his name in a familiar way that turned from gentle to insistent. Whoever it was, finally shook him hard enough that he sat up. Jim winced feeling the ache in his muscles for sleeping partially on the hospital bed. He was dragged out of his chair by someone much larger, which made him snap awake. 

Will dragged him into the hallway, dropping him against the wall as he looked to the room now swarmed with doctors and nurses. They were responding to beeps and alarms that had startled all of them awake. A nurse had forced them all out in a hurry.

Glancing around at the faces, Jim stood up and looked to Mac. “What happened?”

“We’re not sure.” Mac kept her eyes on Will, who was currently staring at the doorway and window as it seemed a whole team was surrounding Maggie’s bed. 

Will pulled his hand from Mac’s and rubbed both of his eyes. When his hands were back down at his sides, he reached back and found his fiancé’s. 

“What’re you doing in the hallway?” Lonny came down the hall, two people following closely behind.

All three looked to the bodyguard, their hearts sinking.

“…Mr. and Mrs. Jordan, this is Will McAvoy, MacKenzie McHale, you spoke to them on the phone,” Lonny said. He stepped aside next to Jim.

“Thank you for flying us out here,” Mr. Jordan said. He shook Will’s hand, holding it in both of his. “She… She didn’t tell us anything.”

“It’s no problem. You deserved to know,” Will said. “If she were mine, I’d want to be told too.”

“Can we see her?” Mrs. Jordan looked to Mac and Will. 

Mac took in their disheveled clothes, and the puffiness of Mrs. Jordan’s eyes. “We were just in there. Something happened and we needed to step into the hallway.” 

The woman nodded, inhaling deeply as she started to process everything that had happened in the last twelve hours.

“We’ve really only met over the phone. I’m Maggie’s boss,” Mac said, smiling to her. 

“Actually, we’re both Maggie’s boss. I was her boss first, before Mac,” Will said, hoping to inject some slight humor. “This is my strong man, Lonny, whom you’ve met. And that’s Jim.” The anchor gestured to the senior producer who had been standing there awkwardly and perked up at the mention of his name.

“Jim Harper, senior producer. I’m a friend of Maggie’s,” he said, and shook the extended hands of both Maggie’s parents. 

“Thank you for supporting her. I-Its hard knowing she kept s-so much from us,” Mr. Jordan said, his voice cracking slightly before he coughed. “One minute she’s your little girl, the next she’s off in some big city.”

“She has done some amazing work. We’re very proud of her,” Mac said. She grinned and glanced between the two parents. 

A doctor finally came out of Maggie’s room, surveying the scene. “Will, Mac, Lonny,” she said. 

“Dr. Collins. These are Maggie’s parents,” Mac said quickly, gesturing to the two newcomers. 

Dr. Collins shook both of their hands. “Nice to meet you.”

“What happened?” Rather than wait for the oncologist to continue, Mac figured she’d prompt the question on everyone’s mind.

Dr. Collins glanced around, inhaling slowly as if carefully choosing her words. “She was choking on the breathing tube. A good sign that she’s breathing on her own,” the woman said. She turned and led them all inside, as the room had cleared considerably. One nurse lingered, taking some notes and updating the chart at the end of the bed. 

Mr. and Mrs. Jordan both went to their daughter, standing on her right side. They took in the sight of their daughter, frail and seemingly small in the large hospital bed. She looked peaceful and even paler than the last time they saw her. 

“She’s breathing on her own, so she’ll wake up soon?” Mrs. Jordan looked to the oncologist, holding her breath. 

“That is still unclear. But it’s a good sign that her body is healing after everything that’s happened. We’re keeping a close eye on her development. Once she seems to be waking up, we can check her motor functions and competency,” Dr. Collins said.

Mr. Jordan nodded. He kept his eyes on his daughter’s face, holding her frail, cold hand in his. 

“I’ll be around. Have a nurse page me if you have any more questions,” Dr. Collins said, and then disappeared out of the room.

They all stood in the quiet, listening to the rhythm of the heart monitor.


	15. Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's tough waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that I left you guys waiting for almost three years. Holy hotcakes, batman. I can't believe I let this fic sit for so long. Please forgive me.
> 
> With that being said, since I started writing fanfiction again for Horizon: Zero Dawn, I realized I should be writing for my other things too. So here's a long-awaited chapter. I apologize if this chapter feels out of sorts, I'm still trying to get back into the voices/atmosphere of the story. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Mr. and Mrs. Jordan sat by Maggie’s bed in the seats Mac and Will occupied earlier. 

“Can we get you anything? Coffee, a bagel?” Mac looked to the Jordans as they held hands and kept their eyes on Maggie. 

“I’ll go get breakfast for everybody,” Lonny said. He headed out of the room with a nod to Will and Mac. 

“How was your flight?” Jim hoped perhaps some conversation would help them all relax. 

“Smooth. We couldn’t thank you enough, Mr. McAvoy—“ Mr. Jordan started to say. 

“Will is fine. And I would do it all again.” He smiled to the Jordans. 

“Our whole newsroom would,” Mac added. 

Mrs. Jordan nodded. She glanced to Mac, Will, and Jim. Everyone’s eyes were on Maggie in the large bed. “We appreciate you being here for her.” 

“We’re glad to be here.” Mac turned her attention to Mrs. Jordan and smiled. 

Lonny came back with a variety of breakfast foods from the cafeteria. Everyone ate, letting the heart monitor fill the silence between them. 

The passing hours were slow. Nurses wandered into the room and made notes on Maggie’s chart. Mac, Will, Jim, and Lonny alternated sitting in the two extra chairs opposite Mr. and Mrs. Jordan. They all nodded off at different times. Someone turned on the television, keeping the volume turned down to not disturb anyone. 

Jim wandered down to the cafeteria with Lonny to grab more food. They collected two trays with an assortment of sandwiches and salads. 

“She’s going to wake up,” Lonny said. They stopped by the small counter that had utensils and condiments and added a handful of items to an open spot on one of their trays.

“I hope so,” Jim said. He ran his hand through his hair. 

“I know so. She’s a fighter, Jim. And this wouldn’t stop her.” Lonny looked at the senior producer.

“What if she doesn’t wake up?” Jim stared back at the bodyguard. 

“Nu-uh. I don’t even want to think that way. Too much bad juju can make bad things happen.” Lonny pointed at Jim. “Positive thoughts can help cure people, even if it seems like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo.” 

“I don’t want to get my hopes up if she doesn’t. I hope she wakes up, but I want to be prepared if she doesn’t.” 

Lonny shook his head. He picked up his tray and started walking. Jim followed suit. They were back in Maggie’s room where they found Mac, Will and the Jordans talking about Maggie growing up. Lonny took a sandwich and headed to the waiting room, and Jim followed suit. 

“She made a fake television out of a cardboard box and would write her own news scripts and give us updates,” Mrs. Jordan said. “Usually they were details about the farm or the pets. Sometimes a weather forecast.” 

“Maggie knew early on that she wanted to be a journalist.” Mr. Jordan smiled at his wife. 

Will reached over and held Mac’s hand as they listened to the story. 

“Do you have children?” Mrs. Jordan glanced between them.

“Not yet,” Mac said. She glanced to Will. They shared a look and decided not to share how much Maggie felt like theirs over the last few months. 

“Well, when you do, I hope they are as enjoyable as Maggie was as a child,” Mrs. Jordan said. Her eyes went back to her daughter and the heart monitor.

Mac leaned against Will and kept her eyes on Maggie. She felt Will’s breathing even out and glanced up to see he had fallen asleep. Mac smiled at him and settled on his shoulder. 

Much like Will, Mr. Jordan fell asleep, leaving the two women to sit in the quiet snores of their husbands. 

Maggie’s eyelids moved slightly as if her eyes were moving underneath. 

Mac noticed the slight twitch and peeked at Mrs. Jordan to confirm if she saw it too. The woman gave a slight nod to the executive producer.

They both sat up. 

“Maggie? Sweetie, it’s mom.” Mrs. Jordan reached out and held one of Maggie’s hands. She squeezed it and watched her daughter’s face. 

Mac took Maggie’s other hand and stayed quiet to let Mrs. Jordan speak to her daughter. 

Maggie’s eyes opened in slits and she blinked several times to get used to the light of the room. 

“M-Mom?” Her voice came out as a whisper.


	16. Groggy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who isn't groggy after surgery?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter. Hopefully, the next one will be longer!

Mrs. Jordan smiled at her daughter as Maggie seemed to focus on her. 

Maggie looked confused. Her eyes kept closing as she tried to blink back the drowsiness. “Mom,” she said, her voice a bit stronger. 

Mac watched the mother and daughter. She reached over and clicked the call button to alert a nurse with her free hand. The executive producer then did a tap with her foot to Will’s leg. It took a few tries but he roused and got up out of his seat when he realized what was happening. Will reached over and tapped Mr. Jordan and gestured to Maggie when he woke up. 

“Sweetie, your bosses brought us here.” Mrs. Jordan gestured to Mac and Will.

A nurse surveyed the scene and paged the doctor.

Mac glanced at Will and then back to Maggie. “We wanted to make sure your parents were here when you woke up.” 

Maggie moved her head in a slight nod. She attempted to focus on everyone but didn’t seem to have any luck at keeping her eyes open for long. 

Dr. Collins entered. “Well, look who finally woke up,” the woman said. She approached the bed with a nurse. 

The Jordans and the McAvoys took a few steps back as Dr. Collins and the nurse did a few stat checks. 

“You’ll probably be pretty drowsy for a while. We’ve got you on the strong stuff, but you’ll be eased off that throughout the next day.” Dr. Collins took one of Maggie’s hands and gestured for Mrs. Jordan to take the other. “Can you give your hands a squeeze for me?” 

Maggie did as best as she could comprehend, and squeezed her hands.

Dr. Collins nodded and looked around at the group. “Maggie, we’ll talk more about the rest of your recovery when you’re more coherent. But the surgery went well. Just rest.” The left with the nurse after a quick smile around the room. 

“See? You’ll be back in the newsroom in no time.” Will smiled and reached over to hold Maggie’s free hand. 

Mac glanced back at Will. I’m going to grab Jim and Lonny so they can come in for a moment.” The executive producer headed out and headed to the waiting room. Lonny stood up as she approached. Jim followed suit. 

“Well?” Lonny looked to Mac in hopes of better news. 

“She’s awake. Groggy, but awake. Her parents and Will are there. I’ll wait out here if one of you wants to go in,” Mac said. 

Lonny and Jim shared a look. Jim gestured for Lonny to go first. The bodyguard headed off down the hallway in quick strides. 

“I don’t know if she’s prepared to see you, Jim.” Mac turned to him and crossed her arms.

Jim nodded. “I know. She deserves a lot better than what I’ve ever had to offer.” 

Mac chewed on the inside of her cheek as she listened to him. 

“I did wrong by Maggie before. I don’t want to do that again… I won’t.” Jim stared at his boss. They had been through so much together. She became that older sister that guided him and he appreciated her for everything she ever did for him. 

Will came down the hallway, his eyes on his wife and senior producer. He reached them and gestured to Jim to go back. The senior producer started to head for Maggie’s room when he stopped hearing Mac.

“Be sure to gather the right rosebuds, Jim.” Mac stared at him, and the two locked eyes. Will stood by Mac as they watched Jim.

Jim nodded. “I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm back into the swing of things for this story. We'll see. Ultimately I still have a bit more to write about, and I'll probably do a time skip at some point. Thank you to those that came back to this story after such a long hiatus.


	17. Scruffy-Looking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's so much to say and no space to say it.

Jim peeked into the room and saw Mr. and Mrs. Jordan talking to Maggie. The associate producer didn’t seem that awake based on her slow blinks as her parents. Lonny stood with his back to Jim. He walked in as Lonny seemed to bid farewell. They passed and the bodyguard paused to put a hand on Jim’s shoulder before he left the room. 

“Sweetie, your friend Jim is here,” Mrs. Jordan said. She pointed to Jim and Maggie’s head turned slowly. 

“Jim. Hey.” Maggie’s voice came out so soft that if there were other machines going he wasn’t sure he would have heard what she said. 

“Hey. I wanted to come by and check on you. I heard you gave us quite the scare.” Jim smiled at her. He looked for any changes since he last saw her. She appeared the same, maybe a bit more color to her cheeks along with the dark bags under her eyes. 

“Thank you.” Maggie smiled at him. She frowned at him as her eyes seemed to scan his face. “You’re scruffy-looking.” 

Jim laughed, tempted to reply with that infamous Star Wars comeback line, but bit his tongue. He reached up and rubbed his face, feeling the scruff that had grown since his last shave. 

“Yeah. I’ve been here with Mac, Will, and Lonny. Someone’s gotta keep the office updated with how you’re doing.” Jim reached over and took her hand. “You’re part of our team.” He wished the Jordan’s weren’t in the room so he could talk more open to Maggie about how he felt. Jim wanted to tell her he and Haley were broken up, that he would do this right, and not let her go. 

“Nah. You have work.” Maggie waved him off with a small movement with her free hand. 

“Don and Sloan can handle the newsroom.” Jim held Maggie’s eye contact for a moment. There was so much he wanted to say. So many apologies to make.

“Go sleep, weirdo.” Maggie squeezed Jim’s hand. 

“I’m going to let you rest. I’ll come by to talk to you tomorrow, okay?” Jim squeezed her hand in return. His gaze alternated between her face and their hands. 

“Okay.” Maggie stared at him. “Tomorrow.”

Jim smiled and nodded. “Tomorrow.” He pulled away from Maggie and looked to her parents. “If you need anything, please let me know. Have a good night.” 

“You as well, Jim. Thank you for being around to support Maggie,” Mr. Jordan said. He held out his hand for the senior producer. 

Jim hesitated a moment and then shook the outstretched hand. He didn’t feel he deserved the “supportive” title as much as Will, Mac, and Lonny did. They changed their whole lives for Maggie. All he did was continue to date Haley. 

“You’re welcome. But I didn’t do nearly as much as Will, Mac, and Lonny. They’re the real heroes.” Jim took his hand back. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Jim walked out of the hospital room and back to the lobby. He rendezvoused with Maggie’s support team in the waiting room.The trio seemed more at ease from what he could observe. With Maggie awake, it appeared that much of the tension left their shoulders. 

“How’d it go?” Lonny looked at Jim.

The senior producer glanced between all three of them. “I can’t confess my feelings with her parents there.” 

“When are you gonna say something?” Lonny crossed his arms. 

“Tomorrow. She should be more coherent and perhaps we can have some alone time.” Jim nodded. He shoved his hands in his pockets. 

“Good. You don’t want to end up bitter like these two idiots. And then wait forever to confess your love.” Lonny gestured between Mac and Will. 

“I resent that.” Will frowned at Lonny. “We’re together and all that.” 

Mac shook her head and decided to not get involved. “I think we should all get some sleep. Will and I will check in with Maggie’s parents to make sure they can get settled in their hotel.” The executive producer looked at the group. They were a ragtag bunch based on how they looked after the last day or more that they were at the hospital. 

“See you tomorrow,” Jim said. He patted Lonny’s shoulder and headed out. In the cool evening air, Jim exhaled and stared up at the sky. “Thank you.” He waved down a taxi, slumped in the seat once he sat down. Jim couldn’t wait to sleep, and he couldn’t wait for tomorrow.


	18. Brick Wall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Could confessing your heart and soul after someone's near death be too much too soon?

Jim walked down the hallway of the hospital and came to a stop in the doorway of Maggie’s room. Her parents weren’t there as far as he could see, and it seemed she was asleep based on the fact her eyes were shut. He turned to leave.

“You came.” Maggie smiled at him, her eyes open in slits.

Her voice stopped him and he moved into the room. “I’m surprised you remembered.” Jim stopped at the side of her hospital bed.

“My parents reminded me before they left to get some lunch.” Maggie studied his face and frowned. “You okay?”

Jim chewed on the inside of his lip to decide how to answer that question. Was he ready to bare his soul? Would Maggie be coherent enough to accept it? She seemed aware enough that he could approach the topic with her.

“Doing better now that you’re okay. You scared all of us.” Jim smiled and gently punched her left shoulder.

Maggie waved him off. “You guys worry too much.”

Jim watched her, noticing the improved color to her cheeks, and her overall energy level.

“What’s wrong? Do I have something on my face?” Maggie reached up to figure out what led to whatever strange expression she must have observed on his face.

“Nothing’s wrong.” Jim reached out and captured her hands. He moved them down. “I’m glad I can talk to you alone.” He held onto her hands and stared at Maggie.

“Oh.” Maggie glanced down at him holding her hands reverently like they were some kind of gift.

“I’ve been a huge ass while you’ve been going through this. And I want to apologize.” Jim kept his eyes on their hands.

“Cancer is tough for everyone. It’s okay. You’ve been spending time with Hallie. And it’s important to be with people you love.” Maggie went to pull her hands away but found Jim had not let go.

“That doesn’t make what I did okay.”

Maggie shrugged at him. “You and Hallie are good for each other.”

Jim shook his head. “We aren’t. And we’re not together.” He took a quick glance at Maggie, judging her reaction.

“Oh. I’m sorry I said anything-“ Maggie started. Her eyes darted to look everywhere but at him.

“Hallie and I aren’t together because of me.” Jim kept his eyes on Maggie.

“Jim, you should go apologize to her and make up for whatever you said.”

“Maggie, stop.” Jim squeezed her hands and they locked eyes.  “I broke up with Hallie because I’ve been in love with you this whole time.” His words hung between them, mixing in with the white noise of the hospital room.

“I’ve liked you since you were dating Don. Ever since we kissed, I’ve wanted nothing more than to relive that moment.” Jim saw her open her mouth and shut it. He shut his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “I want nothing more than to be by your side. For your recovery, your career, whatever you choose. I want to be there as more than just a senior producer.”

Maggie stayed quiet, her gaze going between their hands, his face, and everywhere else around the room.

“Maybe this was too much too soon.” Jim laughed quietly and shook his head. He felt stupid for trying to tell her all of this before Maggie was ready. She was recovering from surgery and he was trying to confess his love for her. 

“It’s not too much.” Maggie’s voice came out as a whisper.

Jim almost missed what she said, and stared at her as he processed her words.

Maggie looked up at him. “Yeah, it’s a lot all at once. I nearly died a few days ago, and here you are saying you love me.” She paused. “But it’s not too much.”

He watched her smile. Jim tried to figure out what all this meant.

“How hard of a time did Mac, Will and Lonny give you?” Maggie smirked up at him.

Jim laughed. “They ran me through the ringer. Mac and Lonny especially. I don’t know what I expected.”

“Good.” Maggie sat back a bit in her bed and squeezed his hands. “If you’re willing to be with a dying girl, then I’m willing to give this a shot.”

“You’re not dying, Maggie.”

Maggie shrugged at him. “The cancer might come back. We’re all headed towards a brick wall that we pretend isn’t there.”

“Well, you’re not wrong.”

“Then we’re trying? Actually trying this out.” Maggie turned to him and seemed to be watching his face.

“Yes. I’d love nothing more than for us to try. And if it works, then we won’t grow up to be Mac and Will.” Jim grinned at her.

“I would _never_ let us get to that point.”

They laughed together.

Jim leaned over and kissed Maggie’s cheek. “You need to rest. And I will be back after work with dinner. Any food requests?”

“Egg drop soup?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story since the beginning. I'm so sorry for all the hiatuses I took, but the fact that many of you came back even after so much time away makes me appreciate you all the more. I'll be honest this is the first long-fic I've ever finished. And it feels good. I hope everyone enjoyed the ending, my apologies if you don't. But this story feels finished, and there's very little else I feel I could do with all the characters and their stories. 
> 
> Please, please, please let me know your thoughts about this fic, and basically anything I might not have clarified or plot holes I left open. I want to make sure there isn't anything I've forgotten. You can get ahold of me here via a comment, or on tumblr: dominicknight.tumblr.com
> 
> Thank you again!


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